Greatest Men's Doubles Team?

Earlier I was reading the article about Stan Smith earlier, and it mentioned his doubles play with Bob Lutz. They were quite good together. So I started wondering who was the greatest men's doubles team of all time?

Sedgman- McGregor won the only doubles Grand Slam for a team. Brugnon was the doubles expert of the French Musketeers, at his best probably with Borotra. Maybe they were the best pre war team ahead of Allison-van Ryn. Newcombe and Roche won tons of majors in the late 60s and early 70s, when really the best singles players played doubles. However, I would go with Bromwich- Quist, because John Bromwich was probably the best doubles player of them all, and with Quist won Wimbledon in 1950, when both were way past their prime. Without WWII they would have won far more majors. Thats for the constant teams. If you think of the one time partnerships: Newcombe and Laver, who won the DC in 1973 in a rout over Smith-van Dillen, and McEnroe-Stich come to mind.

Sedgman- McGregor won the only doubles Grand Slam for a team. Brugnon was the doubles expert of the French Musketeers, at his best probably with Borotra. Maybe they were the best pre war team ahead of Allison-van Ryn. Newcombe and Roche won tons of majors in the late 60s and early 70s, when really the best singles players played doubles. However, I would go with Bromwich- Quist, because John Bromwich was probably the best doubles player of them all, and with Quist won Wimbledon in 1950, when both were way past their prime. Without WWII they would have won far more majors. Thats for the constant teams. If you think of the one time partnerships: Newcombe and Laver, who won the DC in 1973 in a rout over Smith-van Dillen, and McEnroe-Stich come to mind.

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How about Bob Hewitt and Frew Mcmillan ( they were amazing even when they were in thier late thirties) with Roy Emerson and Rod Laver, Rafael Osuna and Tony Palafox dark horses.

Bob Hewitt played probably the greatest double-performance i have seen, when he and McMillan beat McEnroe/ Fleming at the Wim final in 1978. He left even Mac, no slouch at doubles himself, looking bewildered. He won also the Wim doubles title together with Stolle. However, when Hewitt/ McMillan and Newcombe/ Roche were in their primes, almost always the Aussie pair won.

Mac/Flemming and the Woodies are my pics. I was watching the Edberg/Courier match this weekend and didn't realize that Edberg was the last player to be ranked number 1 in both men's singles and doubles. He and Jarryd were a great team as well.

Sedgman- McGregor won the only doubles Grand Slam for a team. Brugnon was the doubles expert of the French Musketeers, at his best probably with Borotra. Maybe they were the best pre war team ahead of Allison-van Ryn. Newcombe and Roche won tons of majors in the late 60s and early 70s, when really the best singles players played doubles. However, I would go with Bromwich- Quist, because John Bromwich was probably the best doubles player of them all, and with Quist won Wimbledon in 1950, when both were way past their prime. Without WWII they would have won far more majors. Thats for the constant teams. If you think of the one time partnerships: Newcombe and Laver, who won the DC in 1973 in a rout over Smith-van Dillen, and McEnroe-Stich come to mind.

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Urban,

Super post. I am amazed that you mentioned the Newcombe-Laver partnership in the 1973 Davis Cup. I always thought for one match, that was the most impressive performance I've ever seen by a doubles team. Both Laver and Newcombe were on their game and Laver's returns were incredible.

I suppose of the teams I've seen, it would be between Newcombe-Roche, Hewitt-McMillan and McEnroe-Fleming. Push comes to shove I guess I would go with Newcombe and Roche. I supposed I'm somewhat influenced by the fact old Newcombe and Stolle came so close to defeating McEnroe-Fleming in 1981 in doubles. I think it was 1981 at least.

The one I enjoyed the most was Hewitt-McMillan. Odd looking team and if you saw them you wouldn't think they could beat your grandmother on her deathbed but one they got on the court, great doubles returns, perfect volleys, great angles.

Haarhuis/Eltingh are never mentioned because of the Woodies, but they won the career slam in the 90's.
The Woodies had to wait until 2000 to accomplish that, but they owned Wimbledon (until 1998).

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Haarhuis/Eltingh had a much shorter career than the woodies. They could have won a lot more. Probably not many will know this but they have a positive head to head record against the woodies leading 9-8.

Well, years ago, Barry McKay somehow paired up McEnroe and Agassi to play doubs in his San Francisco tournament. I'm glad I didn't go---it was a fiasco. Not only did they lose easily in the first round, they wore matching Agassi outfits then---yeah, those shirts that were partly neon yellow, and that yellow spandex underwear. McEnroe looked like a clown.

for the ladies, consider Brough and Osborn Dupont and Zvrereva and Fernandez and finally Court and anyone with a racket. Court has no less than 14 doubles titles mostly with Judy Tegart Dalton, Turner Bowery, and Wade. Mind King and Casals did pretty well too.